258 AMERICAN GRAPE GROWING 



annum. Many, despairing of its future, have planted 

 fruit trees among the failing vines, with the intention of 

 eradicating the latter. This has been more largely done 

 in the counties of Napa and Sonoma, which produce the 

 finest light wines, and only a few have replanted with 

 resistant vines, trusting to the future to bring a change 

 for the better. As I am one of those few, I will give 

 the reasons why I still have faith in the eventual success 

 of the wine industry here. Though there has been an 

 overproduction of inferior wines for several years, yet the 

 consumption of wine is increasing. It has increased 

 in the State to over six million gallons annually, while 

 the outside demand has also increased in an equal ratio. 

 A great deal of inferior wine has been manufactured into 

 brandy, and thus taken out of the market. The quality 

 of our wines is improving rapidly, as we cultivate better 

 varieties of grapes and have learned how to handle them. 

 The time is not very remote in the future when Califor- 

 nia wines will have to be sold under their own labels, 

 instead of those borrowed from the French and Germans, 

 as has so often been done. The phylloxera, great as have 

 been its devastations, may prove to be a blessing in dis- 

 guise, as it will destroy our old vineyards of inferior 

 varieties, which will be replaced, if at all, by the very 

 best. Thus, while the quantity may be diminished, 

 the quality will be improved. And when the demand 

 exceeds the supply, prices must advance, as they did 

 in 1878-81, when there was not enough sound wine 

 in the State to meet the demand. When the new and 

 increased demand comes, we are ready to meet it with 

 better wines, which will command better prices and 

 more permanent sales. At the period referred to there 

 were but few varieties, limited knowledge and imperfect 

 apparatus. We certainly can do much better now. 



One of the most prominent factors in bringing about 

 a favorable change is, in my opinion, the wine syndicate, 



